Based on the directives of the coup regime, basic education schools across the nation commenced operations on June 1st for the ongoing academic year. Despite the ongoing revolutionary war in Chin State, over 300 schools were established in the region, facilitating the education of more than 35,000 students, Chin State education officers said.
According to statistics provided by the Chin State education office, a total of 328 schools commenced operations on June 1st for the 2023-24 academic year in all remaining eight townships of Chin State, excluding Thantlang, and these schools have successfully enrolled 35,434 students.
However only 328 schools were able to reopen, out of the previous 1,516 basic education schools in Chin State prior to the 2021 coup. The statistics indicate that there were then 9667 teaching staff members in Chin State. Many parents are worried that teaching will be understaffed and the quality of teaching will decline, owing to the CDM allegiance of more than 4000 teachers – almost 50% of the original teaching strength.
Following the coup staged by the Military Council, the current academic year in Chin State has witnessed the highest number of school openings and student enrollments to date.
A concerned parent from Hakha shared that her worries about her children not being able to attend school for over three years, due to the volatile political situation. Hence she had no choice but to enroll her children in schools operated by the Junta despite her misgivings over the new system.
“I see many children in my neighborhood returning to school this year after being away for three years. One of my children is 8 years old, but he hasn't been to kindergarten yet. Children grow up year by year, but they can’t go to school, wasting time on their phones. Seeing others sending their children back to school has made me realize the importance of education for my own kids. However, I find myself ambivalent because I am reluctant to enroll them in schools operated by the Military Council. But it is so difficult because there are no schools organized and opened by the NUG (National Unity Government) in our tow. I wish to send my children to a private school, but the monthly fees of 10,0000 kyats are beyond my means. As a result, I had no other choice but to send them back to the state-run school”, she said.
For the current academic year, Paletwa Township has recorded the highest student enrollment in Chin State, with a total of 17,322 students attending schools.
Based on the statistics released by the Chin State education office, the student enrollments for various townships in Chin State are as follows: Hakha with 2,192 students, Falam with 2,706 students, Tedim with 4,840 students, Tonzang with 5,966 students, Mindat with 1,506 students, Kanpetlet with 142 students, and Matupi with 760 students.
Regrettably, in Thantlang, where the Military Council set fire to the entire town, schools have not yet been able to reopen.
A resident from Hakha expressed his opinion that Chin State, being one of the strongholds of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) against the Military Council, might face challenges in teaching even if schools reopen, due to scarcity of qualified teachers.
"As the schools reopen, it's evident that the insufficient number of teachers will weaken the quality of education. However, considering the fact that children have been deprived of schooling for approximately three years, parents strongly desire to send them back to school. Rather than idling at home with their phones, parents rationalize that even if their children can only grasp a fraction of the subjects taught at school, it is still better than nothing. Given the financial constraints faced by most parents, private schools are out of reach, leaving them with no choice but to enroll their children in government schools”, he noted.
